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4/15/2012

Deaths have been rare at the Boston Marathon, possibly because entrants tend to be experienced runners. Kenyan Caroline Kilel, who will defend her 2011 women's Boston title, said she does not expect hot temperatures to make much difference to her race.

"If you are an inexperienced runner, you should consider very carefully if you should run or not," said Tom Grilk, the BAA's executive director.Mutai looks for second straight Boston Marathon
What can Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya do for an encore? The 30-year-old ran the fastest marathon ever (2:03:02) in last year's Boston Marathon. The 116th running of the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16 features not only Mutai, but also the 2010 winner Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, who looks for his sixth career victory in Boston. Kenya's Sharon Cherop was also right there with a third-place finish, just six seconds behind Kilel.
Kenya has dominated the Boston Marathon's Women's Championship with eight victories in the last 12 runnings, a statistic not as impressive as the men from Kenya, but still solid nonetheless.
Boston Marathon Cheat SheetDEFENDING CHAMPION
Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya, 2:03:02 PR) destroyed fields and course records at Boston and New York City last year, and says he’s in similar shape now. Mutai won the San Blas Half Marathon in Puerto Rico in February, so has recent success at racing in the heat.
Wilson Chebet (Kenya, 2:05:27) won both marathons he ran last year, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, in 2:05. Josphat Ndambiri (Kenya, 2:07:36) won Fukuoka in December in his debut. David Barmasai (Kenya, 2:07:18) has won three of the four marathons he’s run. Levy Matebo (Kenya, 2:05:16) has the second-fastest PR in the field on record-eligible courses. He’s won the Barcelona Marathon, so should be good in the heat.
Frankline Chepkwony (Kenya, 2:10:59) ran his seemingly slow PR in Nairobi at more than 5,000 feet of altitude. TOP CHALLENGERS
Firehiwot Dado (Ethiopia, 2:23:15) won New York City last fall as well as last month’s NYC Half Marathon.
Agnes Kiprop (Kenya, 2:23:54) was second in her two marathons last year, Paris and Frankfurt. She’s won marathons in three countries.
Sheri Piers (age 40) and Camille Herron ran 2:37:09 and 2:37:14, respectively, at the Olympic Marathon Trials in January.

Axl Rose was booed in absentia as his band Guns N’ Roses was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on Saturday night. Chris Rock inducted Red Hot Chili Peppers, joking about first seeing them by accident while trying to see Grand Master Flash.

Chuck D and LL Cool J honored inductees Beastie Boys in a speech, with Kid Rock and the Roots performing a medley of the Beasties’ songs.

GNR at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame
Guns N' Roses, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers inducted to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On their way into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Guns N’ Roses got together for one more gig. Axl Rose missed it. Guns N’ Roses were one of the headliners of this year’s eclectic group of inductees, which included the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Beastie Boys, folk icon Donovan, late singer-songwriter Laura Nyro, and British bands the Small Faces and Faces.

Cleveland rocked without Rose.As he inducted Guns N’ Roses, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong recalled the first time he saw the band on MTV.

“Every song hits hard. Comedian Chris Rock, a longtime fan and friend of the band, inducted the Chili Peppers. Stevie Van Zandt, one of Bruce Springsteen’s sidemen in the E Street Band, inducted the Small Faces and Faces, bands that included Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, two rock superstars. One of the original originals.”
Smokey Robinson inducted long-deserving backup bands for early rock artists. Rock hall of fame induction comes late for the Miracles. For bands like Guns N' Roses and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, tonight's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions will bring long-expected glory.

To fans of Motown's first hit group, the honor is welcome if 25 years late. The hall maybe unintentionally rewrote history when Smokey was inducted solo," he says. Founding member Ron White and guitarist Marv Tarplin died.

Roush Fenway Racing's Greg Biffle denied Jimmie Johnson his first Sprint Cup victory of the season and once again thwarted Rick Hendrick's bid for a 200th victory as a Sprint Cup owner.
It was Roush Fenway's fourth victory in the last nine Cup races at Texas and the team's record win on the 1.5-mile oval.
Johnson led a race-high 156 of 334 laps in coming up just short for a second consecutive race in trying to deliver the 200th win for Hendrick, which held the top three positions at Martinsville Speedway before a late caution negated a duel between Johnson and Gordon.
Despite winds gusting at 30 mph, the 334-lap race was free of major incidents. The last 234 laps were run under green as the race set Texas records for fewest yellow flags (two) and caution laps (10).
"I don't know what it is like to watch, but as a race car driver, that is neat to run the whole race."
The Penske Racing driver fell three spots in the standings to 15th.
Biffle, the sixth winner in seven races this year, last won a Cup race at Kansas Speedway.

The NASCAR weekend isn't done after the Sprint Cup race in Texas on Saturday night.
For the first time since 2004, NASCAR will race at Rockingham Speedway when the Camping World Truck Series runs there Sunday.
"I've always really liked the track," Cup driver Matt Kenseth said. "We won our first NASCAR race there ever, the Busch Series race in 1998, which was one of the most thrilling days in my racing life. NASCAR hasn't raced at what was then known as North Carolina Speedway since the track was sold in 2004 from International Speedway Corp. to Speedway Motorsports owner Bruton Smith. He then moved its race date to SMI-owned Texas Motor Speedway, ending Rockingham's run of 78 Cup races dating to 1965.
"It does take away opportunities to work on the race car," Johnson said. Trevor Bayne, his Nationwide teammate who raced in the Sprint Cup race Saturday night, also was helping.